Supreme Court shields journalist Abhishek Upadhyay from coercive action
The Supreme Court of India has granted protection from coercive action to journalist Abhishek Upadhyay, who is facing an FIR after reporting on alleged irregularities at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The court ordered the police to provide him with case documents and a compliance report.
Why it matters
This ruling is a significant development for press freedom in India, as it addresses concerns regarding the use of legal action to harass journalists.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) ordered that no coercive action be taken against journalist Abhishek Upadhyay, who flagged alleged irregularities in the handling of donations at Ayodhya’s Ram temple.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to provide him with copies of the FIR and CCTV footage so that he can challenge the allegations in court.
The plea by journalist Abhishek Upadhyay, challenging a first information report (FIR) lodged against him by the Ghaziabad Police in an alleged road rage case, claimed that the FIR was based on concocted allegations and was an attempt to harass him for his independent journalistic work.
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